In my various conversations about health care, I've been focused on the small business stimulus potential.
This is the reason why I remain totally supportive of Medicare for all with a Progressive Tax and possibly a buy-in option. Private insurers can add value on top of that, for lots of coverage choice, where those choices all have the incentive to actually add value built in.
This diary is a result of some comments made over the weekend that connected together to form a great political incentive to do meaningful reform, not just build on what we have now.
Small business is overwhelmingly Republican --What does that mean for us?
With business owners of all kinds, it's generally accepted that Republicans are the "pro business" party. They are also the "if you make it big, you can keep it" party. There are exceptions to this, some diaried right here over the weekend. But the norm is pretty much as I just described it.
What this means is Republicans have enjoyed the support of small to mid-sized business for a very long time, without actually having to service them in any meaningful way. All companies are looking to grow and get bigger, maybe get bought out, and their owners all dream of living on that little island with the entitlements they earned from being successful.
Again, the reality today is probably the most hostile environment they've seen as business owners. No cheap money is being made available to them to grow and operate on. Big business continues to usher in competition from over seas, and their people costs are rising through the roof, while their revenues are generally way down.
For the first time in a long time, we Progressives have the right message at the right time. Our political aspirations for a better America align perfectly with their pain. That pain is well past the point of an annoyance. Many of these people are wondering whether or not they can continue to own and operate their businesses.
Everybody has been talking about how much better things will be for ordinary Americans, if we do meaningful health care. All true. What I want to do is zoom out a bit and talk about it from a political standpoint. In particular bases of power and how to both establish and cultivate them into the pillars of support we need to keep Progressive policy on the table for a long time.
We could be looking at the Democratic party version of the Rovian "Permanent Majority".
There is an opportunity here for a classic divide and conquer. We've had this done to us time and time again, and now everything has aligned into this perfect storm that cannot be ignored.
Republicans don't care about small business owners, beyond their contributions and their votes. They are about big business, and the idea that little business grows into big business is about as realistic for most, as the idea that your average American can become a billionaire if they work hard and tow the party line.
Don't get me wrong. This can happen, has happened, and will happen. But the reality is that most of us will work hard, make our money and hope to retire nicely.
We can split the business base of the Republicans into two factions:
Big, corrupt, business and small, hard working, American business.
We do this by speaking to them, in their language about how Progressive Democrats have their interests front and center, and how our policy ideas can help them grow their business. This is what they need to hear. More importantly, this is what we need them to believe, because we actually need them to help build our economy back to a state that everybody benefits from.
We can't do it without them, and they can't get it done without us!
It is my opinion that the same kinds of advocacy efforts we are seeing happen here to mobilize support for health care reform, can and should be applied directly to small business. Right now we have the opportunity to convert a ton of them into progressive supporters. Their pain is high and their party absolutely does not have any answers for them.
We Progressives are the only game in town. If we let this go by, we miss out on what is probably the largest growth opportunity we've seen since the Presidental election.
What we need to do:
- Speak directly to them in terms of their business, where the dollars are going, and how we intend to change things so that their people costs are lower and their market opportunities are better.
This is stimulus, stimulus, stimulus. Good health care reform will stimulate their business more than anything else can right now, and it will also lower their costs. I can't emphasize how much of a win this is, particularly for small to mid-sized manufacturing and professional businesses of this kind.
- Let them know the stakes for them are as high as they are for us! Both of us need each other. The risk is high, but the rewards are high as well. We need to support one another, if the nation is to see meaningful reform.
- Affirm to them how important they are. This is bedrock of the nation kind of stuff. Momma, small business, base ball and apple pie. This is what the Republicans do, and we can do that, and do it backed with our majority and Progressive policy changes.
- Ask them for their financial support and be clear what is on the table, why the money is needed, and again what the rewards are.
- At all times make it clear Progressives are best aligned to them, have momentum, the right ideas, and with their support, ability to execute on them. They will get party support, a voice and some input to the policy decisions. (truth is everybody on our side of the fence gets this, but it's easy to tell them they are special)
What we get:
- Politically, any progress made converting small to mid-sized business is huge. Getting their support packs a hell of a punch to others in the area. When I owned a small business, the GOP was very active in recruiting me, reminding me what an important part of the community I was, and what I would get from my financial investment. They connected me to my local Republican party members and presented good networking opportunities with other successful businesses.
- A split in the business base seriously reaffirms the real Republican platform. They are not in it for ordinary people. They are in it for authoritarian large, corrupt wealth and business. If we can own and define small to mid-sized business as the kind of "all American" bedrock, pillar of the nation kind of activity it is, and link that to Progressive politics, I could write entire diaries on the benefits of that alone!
- Where our corporate senators are concerned, small business owners give regularly to their party. They do this because they believe they are getting a clear benefit. The reality is they are not seeing that benefit, because their party isn't servicing them like we can. Those senators can go back to their districts and enjoy serious community support from members that are respected.
This is our entry to the bedrock of Republican support and fundraising.
Again, this opportunity is huge and something not to ignore. As powerful as the netroots is, adding significant numbers of small business owners would add considerably to that power.
We need this. We are close to being able to get the real reform we need instead of having to deal down. We have time to go and get some of these people, and we should so that we can tip the scales in our favor.
- Republicans will have to re-define one of the few messages they have still working fairly well for them. They have no effective leadership, meaning right now, they have no effective answer to this.
- This will seriously tip the mid-terms in our favor. Any progress at all means very favorable support for us where a lot of seats are up for grabs. Incorporating these people into the Progressive family presents as the biggest growth opportunity outside the established netroots.
- We can launch this off to get health care passed, but once the means were setup and running, we simply don't stop it! This changes the game somewhat where these people don't get messaging from us. Once they do, we are a point of discussion and as things continue to hurt, and they see our success, that's a powerful motivator.
Summary:
Now is the time for Progressive Democrats to go after small to mid-sized business owners. We have a clear message, political mandate, and policy ideas that directly address the pain they are feeling.
We need that, and they need us!
Republicans are without leadership, being largely unable to respond to well executed strategy. We can go right after their core base, win, and they have little effective ability to respond, and NO messaging that is meaningful to respond with!
Corporate Democratic leadership can leverage this base directly, instead of having to play good cop bad cop with Republicans to maintain their image. This is favorable to all Democrats.
Greater support for meaningful health care reform is needed right now. Biggest growth opportunity for more support is small to mid-sized business.
Messaging is easy! All we need to do is speak in their language and be careful not to be hostile to them. Incorporate those things they enjoy right now from Republicans that are not contrary to our message and reinforce those with our very favorable policy ideas and their financial implications.
Folks, there are literally NO downsides!
If it were me, I would love to see a recurring donation fund set up for this. Progressives donate $5 a month into this pool. We then apply those dollars directly to growing small to mid-sized business support, both finanically and politically. Do it just like FDL is doing their reform efforts.
I know we know how to do this. Let's go and do this!